本研究の目的は、古くから地域社会の運営に大きな役割を果たしてきた村役が過疎化と高齢化の進行に伴い、住民の過度の負担となっていることに着目し、その情報伝達へPCネットワーク利用の導入を図り、負担軽減に有効な具体策を提案することである。
平成14年は、長野県中条村役場のロビーにPC体験コーナーを設置し、過疎地域の高齢者が初めてPCに触れる機会を提供したのちに、農産物の販売促進のためのPC利用として、産地直送野菜のラベル作成などの指導を行い、出荷作業の負担軽減にも効果を上げた。
平成15年は、中条村公民館にて高齢者PC講習会を開催した。一般に高齢者はPC利用が難しいと思われているが、高齢者特性を配慮した学習プログラムの開発と、モチベーション維持に必要な要件を抽出したことで、講習効果を上げることができた。しかし講習会後の自宅でのPC利用には、継続を疎外する要因がある事が判明した。それはPC使用中に生じるトラブルへの対処方法が分からず操作が停滞する、農作業が忙しくなると長期間PCが使用されず基本操作を忘れる、子供や孫を相手とした電子メールだけではPCの利用頻度が減少するなどである。
そこで平成16年は自宅での継続的PC利用に必要なサポート体制作りを目的として、PC講習会場となった公民館スタッフに、講習会中の講師補助と、講習会後の受講生の支援者として協力を依頼し、コミュニティ内でPCを継続利用しやすい環境を整えた。
以上のことから高齢者のPC利用のためには、高齢者向けインターフェイスへの改善、PC利用のための目的意識、トラブル解決のための支援者の確保が重要であることが示された。
本研究により提唱される過疎地域のIT化推進モデルでは、受講者と公民館が中心となり、地域住民による自治組織の運営にITを利用することが提案されたが、同時に村役の担当者の負担軽減と、効率的運営を可能にしたということができる。

本研究の目的は介護従事者に対する情報提供のために携帯情報端末を有効利用することであるが,平成16年度は前年度まで行ってきた,利用の前提となるインターフェイスの適正化が必要である点に関して継続的な研究を行った.特に端末のユーザのニーズに対して適切な情報を提供するためには,ユーザのニーズを明確化する必要があるため,携帯情報端末を継続的にモニタリングする介護従事者に対する直接的な聞き取り調査を行ったところ,ユーザが求める情報のうちもっとも優先順位が高いものは,介護対象となる要介護者の個人情報であった.聞き取り調査および質問紙調査においても同様の結果がえられたことから,これを可能にするシステムの導入が求められていることがわかった.ただ単純なイシターフェイスを具備した携帯情報端末に対して個人情報を提示することは,その保護の観点から望ましくないため,十分なセキュリティが必要となる.そこで簡素なインターフェイスとしてバイオメトリック認証技術などの導入が必要であることがわかった.
質問紙調査では,PDAの普及については低迷していることがわかった.対象となった104名のうち約89%が携帯電話を所有していたが,PDAについては約3%であった.さらに携帯電話所有者のうち約87%は電子メールを利用しており,テキスト形式の情報の取り扱いについて可能であることが示唆された.PDAの普及が進まない原因は2点あげられる.一つはPDAを用いることによる仕事上の利点に関して知識がないことであり,もう一つは携帯電話の高性能化と普及率の拡大である.このことから,介護従事者に対して携帯性の高い情報端末を普及させるための用件として,ユーザビリティの向上に加えて,外部との通信機能の確保があることがわかった.従って今後の展開として,一層の効果的な情報提供を図るため,携帯電話のPDA化とユーザビリティの向上を検討する.

The skier population has been going down for nearly 20 years. In the recent years, some of the skiing area is attempting to promote the kids. In this study, the investigation of a public skiing area has been held to reveal the effect of snow park for the kids on revitalization. As the results, it was revealed that the families with their kids would come to the park with pleasure, when they have been interested in the contents in the park. They need the staffs who play with the kids, and the events which the family can participate together. And they also need the playing facilities such as a sleigh, a snow tube and a slide, and facilities like a nursery, restaurants and a moving pavement. The number of visitors increased about 18% after the promoting. It indicates that the attraction for the visitors can effect to the revitalization of skiing area.

Autumn in Japan is the season of harvesting rice, the Japanese staple food. Large scale farmers can use the large harvesting machines. However, small scale farmer's fields are often too small to use the machine. Thus they have to work with their hands. One of the hardest operations is procedure of drying rice on the rack, because they have to repeat manual labor so many times that they become exhausted . The purpose of this study is development of low burden method of drying rice procedure. Through the observations and interview, two kinds of measures are found out. One is reduction of physical movement by using some tools such as standing-chair and wheelbarrow to remove vertical motion of up and down. Another is the system to gather volunteers from the young ages to the elderly ages.

So-called metabolic syndrome is one of the medical problems in our country, because many of people have difficulty at lack of exercises. Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare suggest healthy life by exercise and moderate foods. Walking is one of the effective exercises to keep health in everyday life. Walking with poles, the exercise method of cross country skiing, is noticed as the effective exercise nowadays. Some studies show the effect of the pole walking exercise from view points of circulation, medical rehabilitation, and so on. In this study, we investigate the effect from view points of muscle load and balance keeping function. Experiment of comparing the normal walking and the pole walking has shown the effect of fitness, comfort, and safety.

One of the farmer's problems in depopulated area is lack of human power to keep agriculture business. Agricultural volunteer is considered as one of the solutions of the problems in farm areas. The purpose of this study is investigation of introduction of farm volunteer by senior generation in town area. The result has shown that the senior generation in town areas is going to join the agriculture for some purposes. One is to exercise for their health. Others are getting fresh and safe foods, studying of agriculture, contribution for other people, stopping the increase of wasteland, and so on. In addition, the result has also shown that the volunteer's requirements are time, close places and transports. Some of the volunteers require some consideration to their labor. Thus the matching system of farmers and volunteers is needed to build the relation among them.

ノルディックウォーキング(以下NW)とは、2本のポールを使った歩行方法である。NWの最大利点は、年齢性別を問はずに楽しめ、エクササイズとしても大変効率がいい。また、膝や腰への負担が最大40%軽減されたという研究結果も報告されておりリハビリにも適している。ポールを使った動作は、運動負荷も高くなり注目されている。そこで、本研究では、6名の被験者に対していまだデータが十分にないNWと普通歩行(以下W)の上肢、体幹、下肢に合計8箇所の筋電図学的なデータを評価した。その結果、上腕三頭筋、上腕二頭筋において大幅に積分値筋電図が増加した。さらに、大腿直筋においても増加する傾向が観察された。ポールをつく運動動作によって、同様の歩行速度での運動効果に差がでることが明らかになった。歩行速度やポール重量などを検討することで、スポーツ用途だけでなく、高齢者やリハビリテーションにも応用できることが期待された。

Young chi ldren need wel balanced breakfast, with staple food, main dish, side dish for the physical and mental development. Previous study has shown that young children have habit to take breakfast， however the combination of menu have to be improved. In this study, we investigates young children's breakfast tendency mainly from view point of the life rhythm, lifestyle patterns and appetite. The purpose of this study is to clear the cause of the difference of combination of the menu. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 118 subjects in 2 nursery schools in Nagano city, whose age are about 3-6 years old. The results has shown that the time from getting up to going out of A group was longer than B group. Number of dish of breakfast for children of A group is enough to get well balanced meal, however B group was not. From this point of view, the cause of the difference of combination of the menu is time in the morning. In addition, 44% children have habit to watch TV during dinner. There was little difference between both groups about appetite on breakfast. 30 Children reported a poor appetite at breakfast. Those children with such a poor appetite tended to sleep later than the other children. 16 children who get just a poor appetite at dinner also demonstrated a poor appetite at breakfast.

Introduction of volunteer into agriculture cannot less as ooe of the method to support farmers who have few workers because of aging in the mountainous area. Sometimes government in the area can secure people for the farmers who need man power. On the other hand, people who want to help farmers may need concrete information such as transportation to the farm area, detail of the job, equipments, job fee, and the farmers personal information, and so on.If there is chance, many university students want to participate in the agriculture experience program. Most of them had done some farm job in junior school. In fact, the farm job in warm and humid weather makes them tired, however many students think about the farm job positively. Activation of agriculture will be possible if we can place them to the farm area. In this study, we investigate the farmers' requirement and the students' one to the agricultural experience program. Matching of both of them will be one of the condition to establish the man power secure system.

Pointing task is one of the most frequent one in VDT job. Many computers have not only mouse device, but also touch pad, trackball, infrared rays, and gyro sensors. It is not easy for the users to manipulate usual mouse from remote position without any tables or desks to fix the device. Thus they use remote controller which has some sensors from distant place. In this study, we investigated the difference of performance among usual mouse, touch pad, and gyro sensor device. As the result, it was cleared that Fitt's Law can be applied to the remote pointing task. Especially, influence of the size of target for the remote control is larger than the usual mouse. The ratio of distance and size of target should be approximately 8.6 to enclose the gyro device performance to the usual mouse.

The method of getting food is different in urban and rural areas. In urban area, the method is limited although rural areas are close to a locality. Requests for food differ between them. The price is important for both of them. In addition, freshness, an expiration date, a security, convenience, etc. are required. Many of those who live in rural areas are related to an agricultural, or their respect is high. Since a familiar household is concerned with an agricultural in many cases; they experienced agricultural, or they work for the company relevant to an agricultural. In this study, the image to the agricultural, the depopulation, and the elderly was investigated to those who live in urban area, and those who live in rural areas. Those who live in urban area tend to have an impression "poor" and "severe" about depopulation. They tend to have an impression of a "passive" and "plainness" about an elderly and an agricultural. Those who live in rural areas tend to have an impression "favorable" and "beautiful." The depopulation and the elderly are familiar for those who live in rural areas. The image will become good if the exchange with farmhouses increase.

This study investigates the relationship among young children's breakfast grouping from view point of combination of the menu and lifestyle patterns (schedule, meal partner, television, appetite). A questionnaire survey was conducted with a total of 118 parents of the children aged 3-6 attending 2 nursery schools in Nagano city. The results show that many children have with their mother. Most of them take 30 minutes for starting breakfast after getting up. 56% children took well balanced breakfast, with staple food, main dish, side dish (1stG). 44% take not same as the first group (2ndG). 2ndG tend to have a short time for going nursery after starting breakfast. They have habit to watch TV during breakfast. There was little difference between both groups about appetite on breakfast.

Most of computer applications have been ever developed by increasing their functions with graphical user interface. Especially Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh have good interface with pointing device. This progress can be done by speed up of CPU and cost down of hardware. However, not all the user can use all the current functions in computer applications because they do not need too many functions for their jobs. In addition, complicated functions in GUI make the novice users embarrassed even when they just make a simple document. In this study, we have a point of view to pick up some necessary functions for the novice users to develop simple user interface. Investigation to 150 users shows that there are some differences about way of using computer between novice users and exparts. The result of this study can be applied to minimizing function of computer to make the novice users feel easy to use.

Aging of farmers in Japan have increased abandoned field and food selfsufficiency ratio has decreased. Thus, agricultural machines are necessary for the elderly farmers because of the decline of their physical strength and muscular power. At the same time the machines should keep their safety. One of them, the bush cutter can remove weeds in the field, however it can sometimes injure the farmers by the rotary blade. In addition, it is dangerous to work at the sloping ground in mountainous area because the farmers might fall by slipping on the weeds. Nevertheless some farmers do not wear safety equipments such as the protectors and the eye guard during the job. Burden of most farmers in the middle mountainous area is not small because of shortage of man power and they cannot keep their successor. Thus they have made their farm rough against their will. This study verified the necessity of safety provision and conditions for elderly people and shows the necessity of human support for the elderly farmers.

Many of elderly people are not good at operation of PC with mouse and keyboard, because they need more time to experience to get enough skill. Through the observation to them in PC school, their characteristics are different from the younger people's movements. In this study, the difference of mouse operation between elderly people and younger people became clear by measurement of mouse movement. Mouse rotation in the horizontal pointing operation can make some difference among them. The volume of acceleration to the target would be the cause of the difference. From the result, we can find out the needs for development of mouse movement system which consider the elderly people's operation characteristics.

For application of Information Communication Technology to the elderly people in depopulated area, they need human support to continue their utilization for everyday life. Through three years of PC school for elderly people in Nakajo village, Nagano, the students have capacity to use PC, however, small trouble would be able to disturb their continuation. Though they have chance to ask question to supporters by telephone, facsimile, and E-mail, they do not do that because of two reasons. First, they cannot explain detail of their troublesome. Second, they hesitate to ask because they think supporters are too busy to help them. Thus, we prepare Web camera system for an elderly woman as support which can be used and could find out some possibility to use the camera for support. In addition, we can find that not only everyday jobs but also entertainments material would be able to become motivation for the elderly people. Such action will help build information-oriented society in depopulated area.

In this study, we held the computer literacy lessons for elderly people in Nakajo village, Nagano, following the past study of PC usability for the aged. We prepared PC room and support staff for them. Average age of the students was a little younger than the first time. And some of students have used Word Processor before. Thus, they told after the lesson that their past experience influenced to their evaluation of PC usability. It also became clear that they need clear purpose to use PC and troubleshooter to continue using PC at home. When they do not have both or one of them, they would not continue to use PC after the lesson. In other words, they need reason to use computer for everyday life, not only for learning skill to use PC. Additional investigation to the entire household in the village conducted in parallel showed that number of PC owners in the village is partial. Some of owners often use PC to collect local information by the Internet. Thus, using computer network can become the method to share the village local information. We can suggest the next three points of view for applying IT into village in Aging as the conclusion. 1) Increasing infrastructure and number of PC is needed as a backbone in the local area. 2) Elderly people need their own curriculum to learn the computer literacy, not same as younger people. 3) Clear purpose and local support for the elderly people are needed to continue using PC at home.

In the aged society, numbers of problems with elderly people are going to increase because of decline of physical and psychological function. In fact, many of elderly people feel anxiety with everyday life both of inside and outside of their home. However, some of retired people would like to enjoy their aged life in various ways and the government also has planned to support their life. One of them is practical use of IT(Information Technology). But many people think that elderly people cannot use IT devices very well because of not only difficulty of PC but also decline of the elderly peoples' physical function. In this study, we are going to lecture the way of use PC for elderly people in Nakajo village, Nagano prefecture. After the lecture, 7 persons in the 8 elderly people are eager to continue using PC in their own house. Thus, it was cleared that we need continuous supports and improving unique user interface for elderly people to continue using IT devices.

One of the most popular recreations in winter is snowboard; however, there are some dangers to enjoy the exciting sports in Winter Mountain. KATO(2002) investigated snowboarders' awareness to hazardous situation in skiing resort and showed many of them think that one of the hazardous places for snowboarders is place to getting down from the lift chair. In this study, were corded motions of getting down from lift chair by series of video at lizuna Resort in 2003. Many of incidents at the place were occurred by cross of two snowboarders' different direction after getting down from lift chair. Researchers prepared guideline under the snow to lead them to safety zone as improvement method. As the result, reduction of hazardous situation was observed. We need objective study to many of recreation to reduce potential dangers in resort.

超高齢社会における介護負担への経済的支援策として介護保険制度が2000年より施行されているが, 介護者側の身体的, 精神的負担に対する支援も併せて必要と考えられる. 効率的な作業手法による負担軽減やマニュアル等による作業の標準化が現在検討されているが, 同時に介護者が関心をもつ福祉情報の発信が効率的に行われることでサービスの向上と均一化が図られるものと思われる. 本研究ではこの点に着目し, 現場のエンドユーザの必要性評価を基にしたデータベース及びインターフェイスを検討するために, 介護者が必要性を認める福祉情報についてデータ構造を構築し, 分類することを目的としている. 福祉情報の必要性に関する調査の結果, 各情報に対する必要性の因子得点が得られると共に, 共分散構造分析による情報の因子間の関連性を定量的に示すことができた. 直接介護に携わるホームヘルパーは介護技術に直接的な関連性をもたせて各情報の必要性を評価しており, 学生のように介護に直接的な関係を持たない場合と異なることがわかった.

An accident sometimes happens to the recreation as same as the daily life. One of the causes of the accident is thought to be insufficient danger awareness. It is necessary to have correct knowledge about the accident for prevention. In this research, Investigation was conducted to skiers and snowboarders in the skiing area. It was found out that the frequency of collisions on the course was the highest as a result of the investigation. There were many people who felt danger with falling at getting off a lift and with collision on the course. Comparing with experts and novices, averages feel little danger with the collision. We can make three proposals for prevention based on this research. First, we need to indicate the characteristics of the recreation. Second, we need feedback of the analysis of accidents. And last, all of people need to have continuous prevention awareness.

Most of residential spaces are not arranged for elderly people who have some disorder to live independently. Therefore, they have to employee the home-helpers to care themselves. Unfortunately, most of the Japanese residents are not suitable for the home-helpers to care, especially at bathroom. In this paper, a survey to the Japanese home-helpers was conducted to investigate the subjective suitable size of lavatory and bathroom. It comes to be clear from the result that the ratio of elderly people's ergonomic data affects on the home-helpers' evaluation. We have to consider of the measurements of elderly people when we construct the lavatory and bathroom.

In aging society, we have to care the elderly people who cannot support themselves without other's assistance because of disorders. However, some kind of care job put the workers physical and psychological strain. In this study, we propose the application of Industrial Engineering method, which had been produced to improve the work in factories, into care work. The result of experiment shows that PTS can contribute to improvement of care work.

超高齢社会における福祉活動は重要性を増し,質の高い介護技術の提供が要求されるものと考えられる.そこで大学などの養成機関では介護技術に関するさまざまな教育が行われているが,現場で用いられる作業技術の多くは従事者の経験則で構築されていることが多く,実際には標準化された作業方法による介護はあまり行われていないのが現状である.これは,これまで看護や福祉における介護作業が他業種の労働と同様の尺度によって評価されなかったことが理由の一つとしてあげられる.本研究では介護作業に経営工学的分析手法を用いて分析,評価することを試みた.とくに分析対象としてベッドと車いす間の移乗介助作業についてとりあげ,PTS (Predetermined Time Standard)法による介護作業の標準化の有効性を示した.

VDT作業で用いられるOAチェアの体圧分布の変動を面圧力測定シートにより計測する. この体圧分布を大腿部, 臀部, 背部に分割し, それぞれの圧力の時系列的変動をパワースペクトル化する. そしてパワースペクトルと周波数との間の回帰直線の傾きを, 快適性の一指標とされている1/fゆらぎ特性と比較することで, 評価尺度とする. 被験者は8名で, ワープロ入力作業を45分間行い, 作業終了後椅子の主観的評価を行った. 体圧分布のサンプリング間隔は1秒間であった. 結果は以下の通りである. 体圧分布は時系列的にランダムなパターンの変動を示しており, 静的な評価指標の信頼性を損なうことがわかった. 圧力変動のパワースペクトルはいずれの場合も周波数との間に回帰直線を得ることができ, 1/fゆらぎ特性と比較することが可能となった. 回帰直線の傾きと主観評価との間の相関係数は, 大腿部, 臀部については低かったが, 背部については極めて高い相関が得られた.

一眼レフカメラの操作性において問題となる手ブレに関する研究として, その要因について検討した. 実験1ではシャッターボタンに圧力計を取りつけた3種類の一眼レフカメラを用いて, 通常撮影とタイマーを用いた撮影を行い, このとき生じた写真上のブレ量を計測した. 実験2では2種類の一眼レフカメラに, 3軸方向の加速度計と, シャッターボタン上に圧力計を取りつけ, 撮影に要する2秒間の振動波形を取得し, これをFFT解析した.<br>撮影時に生じるカメラの振動には, カメラの内部振動とユーザによる外部振動があるが, 外部振動について行った実験結果を要約すると以下のとおりである. すなわち, (1) 身体表面に生じている4～8Hzの microvibration, および手関節と肘関節における生理的振戦を主な要因とする振動が直接カメラに伝達される. (2) シャッターを押す操作を要因とする2.0Hz以下の振動がカメラに伝達される. (3) ユーザのシャッター操作は過剰になされることが多く, 個人差が大きい. 以上の点から, 写真撮影時に生じるカメラの振動は, 8.0Hz以下の低周波数帯域のものが主であり, ユーザのカメラに対する操作そのものによってもたらされることが明らかとなった.

日本自動車連盟が2016年以降実施している、信号機のない横断歩道における歩行者の優先にかかる運転行動調査では、道交法の規定を約9割のドライバーが無視している。交通弱者優先を前提とする交通の強弱関係の曖昧さが背景にあると仮定し、欧米で用いられるトラフィックヒエラルキーの導入を目的とした研究を実施している。歩行者優先の規定について知識を有するドライバーを対象に、信号機のない横断歩道を有する直線道路を模したドライブシミュレータ上の走行実験を行った結果、歩行者の待機位置の運転行動に対する影響が示された。これを踏まえ歩行者に対するドライバーの視線移動と実車乗車時の運転行動の観察を実施するに至っている。

日本自動車連盟が2016年以降実施している、信号機のない横断歩道における歩行者の優先にかかる運転行動調査では、道交法の規定を約9割のドライバーが無視している。交通弱者優先を前提とする交通の強弱関係の曖昧さが背景にあると仮定し、欧米で用いられるトラフィックヒエラルキーの導入を目的とした研究を実施している。歩行者優先の規定について知識を有するドライバーを対象に、信号機のない横断歩道を有する直線道路を模したドライブシミュレータ上の走行実験を行った結果、歩行者の待機位置の運転行動に対する影響が示された。これを踏まえ歩行者に対するドライバーの視線移動と実車乗車時の運転行動の観察を実施するに至っている。

前年度にひきつづき，高齢化率が高く，また公共交通機関が乏しい地域として長野県長野市住良木の農家を研究対象として生活様式の観察および測定にかかる研究を行った．ひずみゲージを用いた家具および建具の挙動により生じる加速度測定におけるキャリブレーションを正確に取得する初期設定作業についてはある程度の時間的，技術的な制約が加わったが，モニタリングにあたっては十分な出力を得ることが可能となった．前年度に指摘を受けた定量的指標の構築にあたり，上記センサーの出力の時系列変化に対して経営工学における管理図表モデルを適用させることで，日常生活におけるリズムの抽出と逸脱状態の検出が可能となった．

昨今の高齢化により，特に中山間地などの過疎地域では高齢者のみの世帯や独居高齢者の割合が増加しており，日常生活における事故や疾患が懸念される．一方，子ども世帯等の同居は経済的理由等により困難であることから，遠隔の家族が建具と家具の使用状況を加速度センサによりモニタリングするシステムを構築する研究を行った．当該年度は既存データと新規データを合わせた年間活動記録を分析することで突発的自体の抽出アルゴリズムを構築した．また従来用いた有線のひずみゲージによるセンサから無線方式の簡易なセンサとPCに切り替え，その有効性を検討した結果，従来比で1/4程度の低コスト化とシステムの占有空間の削減を可能にした．

　遠隔地に居住する家族の生活状況をモニタリングは高齢社会においてニーズが高い．本研究では，日常生活のリズムを定量化する手法を構築することを目的とする研究を行った．長野市西部の中条地区の農家の協力を得て，特に住居の建具および家具に着目し，外出時に使用する頻度が高い縁側の出入り口と，冷蔵庫の扉に加速度計をとりつけた．2013年9月より2014年2月まで継続的に測定を行い，その変動波形に対する解析を行った．　出入り口の測定では，人の移動が多いことから，開閉動作だけでなく，人の通過により生じる振動も敏感に反応するため，活動量を評価するのに適している．ただ9月頃の暑い時期と1月,2月等の寒い時期とでは扉の開閉頻度が異なる．冷房設備がないことから，夏季は出入り口の扉は開けたままにされ，冬季は出入りするたびに開閉を伴うことから，日常生活の季節間変動があると推察される．また，居住者や来客等の区別は困難であるが，活動があること自体が日常的なことであり，これを定量的に示すことが可能となった．一方で午前0時近辺より朝4時くらいまでは振動が計測されず，睡眠時間帯であると推察できる．　家具として用いた冷蔵庫の扉については，6時前後，12時前後，19時前後に振動発生頻度が高い．これはつまり食事の時間帯にほぼ恒常的に冷蔵庫を用いていることを示している．出入り口の場合が比較的ランダムな人の出入りを測定しているのに対して，冷蔵庫の場合は夫婦のうち，妻の側が使用する頻度が高く，その日常的な使用状況から，特定の対象者の日常生活のリズムを示す指標として有効であることが示された。この点からは，居住者が複数名いる場合，個別の生活状況を評価するためには，居住者個人の行動特性を明確化させることが望ましい．　今後，継続的な測定により年間を通じた特性の抽出をすることで，通年で用いることができる，定量的な日常生活リズムの評価ができると思われる．